The present invention is directed to an apparatus for sorting and distributing mail pieces, such as letter mail, made up of an input module for the mail pieces, a transporter for moving individual mail pieces between the input module and an output module for the sorted mail pieces.
A known problem with so-called letter mail is that the type of sorting and distribution of such mail pieces is very costly, particularly in terms of personnel, whether the distribution and allocation refers to individual cities and villages or to the distribution and allocation to individual streets and other receivers within the cities and villages.
Mail distributing systems are known where mail pieces, particularly letters, are directed into individual compartments via belt conveyors after presorting and subsequent sorting. A letter placed into the system is provided with a code, the code is read at a corresponding place in the system, and the letter is then assigned to an indiVidual compartment by distributing conveying means. The following German patent No. DE-C-32 05 652 is referred to only as an example.
The known solution is suitable only for standard letter formats, as a rule, differences in size, thickness, and dimensioning can not be processed in such a system. Further, such a system is completely unsuitable for mailing periodicals, printed matter and the like.